"Is this... fate?" Neji murmured, lying broken on the ground. 'Fate chose him... and abandoned me.'
"It's not about fate," Naruto said, walking slowly towards him. He looked down at Neji. "And you haven't been abandoned, either."
"Fate never existed."
"No," Neji countered, pushing himself up with tremendous effort, gritting his teeth against the pain. "Everything is preordained." He looked Naruto square in the eye. "Like you defeating me just now."
His stubbornness drew a dry chuckle from Naruto. "If everything's predetermined," Naruto asked, "then why train so hard? If it's all decided anyway, why bother trying? Why not just give up?"
He leaned in slightly. "You talk constantly about how destiny can't be changed... but you're the one who wants to change it most, don't you?"
Naruto cut straight through Neji's defenses. His deep blue eyes seemed to pierce right into the Hyuga's heart. "What are you waiting for, Neji? What are you expecting? What are you hoping for?"
"Waiting for someone to beat you? Expecting someone to point out your mistakes? Hoping someone will come along and 'fix' you?"
"Heh." Naruto gave a short, humorless laugh. "You're no princess trapped in a castle. No prince on a white horse is coming to save you."
"The only one who can save you is yourself."
"So there's no such thing as fate." Naruto clenched his fists, his voice hardening with conviction. "Even if there is, my destiny is in my hands."
It was why he trained so relentlessly. Why he always felt like he wasn't strong enough. He remembered the searing powerlessness he felt watching his parents die. He refused to experience that ever again.
Fate? Since the day he was born into this world, there was no such thing.
'The only one I believe in is myself.'
"You can't change the past," Naruto continued, his gaze unwavering, "but you can change the future. Use your own hands to shape it."
In that moment, Naruto radiated a confidence that was almost dazzling. To Neji, it was like seeing a golden sun rise behind him.
Naruto extended his hand. "Neji Hyuga. Want to take control of your own fate with me?"
"Hmph..." Neji scoffed, but his hand reached out, grasping Naruto's firmly. "Fine. Let me stand by your side and see just how far you can really go."
'Naruto Uzumaki,' Neji thought, feeling the strength in Naruto's grip. 'Your eyes see clearer than mine.'
'Don't let me down.'
****
The days that followed fell back into a familiar rhythm: training, training, and more training.
Only this time, Naruto wasn't always alone. Two other figures often trained alongside him now.
Rock Lee. And Neji Hyuga .
****
Konoha Academy, Ninja Tool Target Practice Range.
A Konoha instructor stood with a white notebook, taking notes. "Alright, listen up!" the instructor called out. "Today's assessment is shuriken accuracy. You need six hits out of ten to pass." He scanned his list. "First up... Sasuke Uchiha."
The black-haired boy, the Uchiha clan's fan crest stark white and red on his back, strolled forward, one hand casually tucked in his pocket. He drew a handful of shuriken from his pouch and, without seeming to count, sent them flying towards the targets in a single, fluid motion. Exactly ten flashed through the air.
"What's with the sloppy throw?" Kiba scoffed from the sidelines, Akamaru perched comfortably on his head. The boy, known for the distinctive red fang markings on his cheeks and his clan's partnership with ninja hounds, looked unimpressed. "Hmph. Just watch, I'll show everyone real skill later."
Just as Kiba finished speaking, the airborne shuriken spun violently. *Clink! Clink!* They ricocheted off each other in pairs, suddenly changing trajectory, striking the wooden target posts from impossible angles.
*Thk, thk, thk, thk, thk...*
All ten shuriken struck dead center.
"Perfect score!" the instructor announced. "Sasuke Uchiha, full marks!"
Sasuke coolly put his hands back in his pockets and walked off the range without a backward glance.
'Hmph. Itachi-nii taught me this shurikenjutsu,' he thought, a flicker of pride mixing with dissatisfaction. 'Though... it's nothing compared to his five-shuriken ricochet. Mine only hitting in pairs is still far off.'
"Kyaaa!"
"So cool!"
"That's Sasuke-kun for you!"
"Amazing!"
A chorus of sighs and squeals followed Sasuke's retreating figure, the girls in the class practically swooning.
The perfect score and the fangirl reaction left Kiba flushing slightly. "Tch, what's so great about that?" he muttered, though his voice trailed off, lacking conviction. Hitting the bullseye wasn't beyond Kiba, but not with Sasuke's nonchalance, and certainly not ricocheting ten at once.
"Flashy," a voice drawled nearby.
Kiba turned, eager to find an ally, "Right? You think so too-" but froze when he saw who it was.
It was Naruto.
"You take that ba-" one of the girls started, ready to leap to Sasuke's defense, but the assembled 'Sasuke Fan Club' faltered as they realized who had spoken.
They huddled together, shrinking back as Naruto approached, suddenly resembling a flock of nervous quails.
Whispers erupted as he passed.
"It's the Bully..."
"Why don't the teachers do anything?"
"Shh! Quiet! Remember last time? He made Sakura-chan cry with one punch!"
"He even hits girls... he's awful."
"Tch, he even beat up Sasuke-kun..."
Naruto ignored them, walking straight over to stand beside Hinata. She immediately averted her gaze, nervously fiddling with the hem of her jacket. To onlookers, however, it looked less like companionship and more like intimidation.
"See? I told you," one girl whispered urgently. "The Hyuga heiress must be scared of him."
"Exactly! Hinata-chan is so gentle, why would she willingly stand next to..."
The whispers died instantly.
Naruto hadn't said a word, hadn't even looked directly at them, but a palpable chill emanated from him, silencing them like cicadas in winter. His reputation preceded him, anyone who crossed him in sparring, even Sasuke, usually ended up regretting it, those who badmouthed him often ended up crying.
"Hmph," Sasuke snorted from where he stood, arms crossed. The memory of being brought to tears by Naruto's punch still stung his pride, and he jumped at any chance to cut the blond down. "Don't just talk big. If you think you're so good, let's see you do it."
-------------------
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